Who Invented Paintball?

Paintball is an exhilarating game that is popular all over the world. Whether played in the woods or in urban arenas, it is an exciting and skillful sport. But who was responsible for inventing the sport of Paintball?

The Birth of Paintball

Paintball was first invented in the early 1980s by three men named Hayes Noel, Charles Gaines and Bob Gurnsey. The trio wanted to find a safe way for people to experience the thrill of simulated warfare. As a result, they formed National Survival Games and began working on paintball equipment.

The Equipment of Paintball

Noel, Gaines and Gurnsey started out with a bright idea and then used it to create the necessary equipment for Paintball. The equipment included an air-powered compressed tank, a compressed air marker pistol with a barrel made of brass and a CO2 powered gun to fire the paintballs. The first paintballs were made with non-toxic paint and a gelatin shell to prevent them from bursting on impact.

The First Official Paintball Game

In June 1981, the three inventors (Noel, Gaines and Gurnsey) held the very first paintball game on an 80-acre grounds in New Hampshire. The game, lasting 6 hours, was refereed by Bob Gurnsey. During the game, the players were separated into two teams. The format was capture the flag which is where each team must remove the other team's flag from their base in order to win. The first paintball game was a success and it would later become the basis for the modern game of paintball.

The Creation of The Sport

Based on the success of the first game, the trio of inventors decided to form an association to promote the sport. They called this association the National Survival Games, which would later become the National Paintball Association (NPA). The NPA would then become the governing body that regulates the sport of Paintball worldwide.

Paintball Continues to Grow

Following the formation of the NPA, Paintball started to become more popular throughout the United States and other countries. By the 1990s, Paintball had grown to an international sport, with professional leagues and tournaments being held all over the world. Paintball had also become a popular recreational activity for both adults and children.

Paintball in the Modern Era

Today, Paintball remains one of the most popular action sports around the world. Teams from all over the globe compete in tournaments and leagues to be crowned the best in the sport. Paintball has also expanded into different genres such as speedball, woodsball, scenario and mag-fed.

In Summary

The sport of Paintball was invented in 1981 by three men; Hayes Noel, Charles Gaines and Bob Gurnsey. They formed National Survival Games which later became the National Paintball Association, the governing body for Paintball. The sport of Paintball has experienced amazing growth since its inception and continues to be one of the most popular action sports in the world.

References:

https://www.nxtlevelpaintball.com/history/

https://www.worldpaintballgaming.com/history-of-paintball/

https://www.extremejump.ca/blog/2019/09/19/brief-history-of-paintball

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paintball